Sweet potato is a great vegetable for little ones as it is an "...excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron." (www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64)
I use sweet potatoes as a base that can then be used in a variety of ways. Here's how:
2 peeled and cubed (1 inch cubes) sweet potatoes (I also scrub mine first)
1/3 to 1/2 cup red lentils (for protein and minerals)
a little water to cover
options:
chopped carrots
peeled and chopped apple
orange and/or carrot juice to use with the water
Simmer for about 30 minutes until soft; checking to make sure there's always enough liquid.
Pour everything into a blender and puree it. Spread into ice tray cubes, cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap and freeze. Store in a zip-top bag in the freezer.
How I use the sweet potato cubes (after thawing):
-mixed with plain whole yogurt and rice or oatmeal cereal when around 12 months old
-mixed with cottage cheese
-mixed with applesauce(with cinnamon) and yogurt
-make sweet potato ice cream by just softening a cube and mixing it with about a tablespoon of organic vanilla ice cream
-pancakes are made by adding a sweet potato cube to any old pancake batter that you make - I use one cube per 3/4 - 1 cup dry mix from a box and store the extra batter in a glass container in the refrigerator. And I usually spread cream cheese, preserves, or maple syrup on the pancakes while they're hot.
